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Against

The reason people go to the gym to run on the treadmills isn’t because they like oogling at the girls also in the gym or the fact that they prefer to run inside rather than out, it's because of the stats.

How fast, how far, what incline are just some of the things you can come away with showing your machoness.

Cyclists too like to know what, when, how and so bike computers are slowly becoming more and more advanced. It is no good just knowing how fast you are going - you need more.

And so Polar has launched the cs100 a cycle computer with plenty of options.

The small computer comes with all the relevant clips to attach to any bike and the wireless receiver is easy to fit on the front fork without any problem.

Get past the fitting - don’t forget there are no wires so this takes about 5 minutes and you get to play with the plethora of options at your fingertips.

The main selling point here is that this unit comes with a heart rate monitor. Polar has excelled in this area for some time now and the cs100 doesn’t break the mould.

Fit the accompanying chest band and away you go, it's as simple as that.

Taking the information, alongside other elements such as age, height, weight and sex in setup ensures that your heart rate zones are correctly set and the computer will even calculate your calorie burn for those interested.

The addition of the heart rate monitor means you can concentrate directly on cardiovascular fitness and for us is one of the main selling points of the system.

Get past heart rate and the computer doesn’t fail to impress. Additional stats include the ability to record speed, average speed, distance, total distance and time taken to do the whole lot.

A really nice feature is the estimated time of arrival option based on your current versus average cycling speed.

Price when reviewed: £69.99

Verdict

While the initial price of the Polar cs100 might scare some cyclists off, if you are serious about your training this is a good place to start.

The heart rate monitor and calorie counter will suit those looking to keep track of their weight, while the ability to track everything from speed to distance will appeal to those on a training regime.

For those looking to upgrade further, the polar cs100 also supports as an optional extra cadence reporting, allowing you to monitor your pedal revolutions as well the data listed above.

While this isn't for the occasional cyclist, it is certainly one to recommend for the enthusiast or hardened cycling fan.